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Old 07-19-2004, 07:02 PM
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Vapodog
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Western Nebraska
Posts: 3,393
Default .204 Ruger

I just finished my testing of my new .204 Ruger. It's a custom using a #3 contour Shilen barrel attached to a Remington 700 action. I did the chambering with a Dave Manson chambering reamer.

No reloads was tried yet and won't for some time either.....I'm just too cheap to buy the dies right now.

I fired two factory loads.....a 40 grain bullet and a 32 grain bullet. The action was glass bedded and the barrel was free floating and the Remmy trigger was adjusted to a very light pull.....as a matter of fact it was a trifle too light but fine for testing initial loads. A Redfield 18X scope was attached but I'd have preferred a different scope.....maybe a Leupold...

The forty grain bullets left a very disappointing performance of around 2.0" at 100 yards and I didn't even measure them because I was so disappointed in their grouping.

The 32 grain bullets however was far better in accuracy from this gun and I'm convinced that when I start handloading the lighter bullets will shrink to around 3/4" at 100 yards. Berger also makes bullets for this caliber and I'm waiting for a chance to reload in a month or so. Factory loads run right at .95" at 100 yards but I only fired one five shot group. I still don't have cleaning equipment and there's other tasks to do before I get real fastideous.

While the recoil was light it was surprising how much snap on the shoulder it offered.....it did have a fairly sharp rap on me even though it wasn't much. I know that I'd be feeling it after 300 rounds of prairie dogging.

This is not a condemnation nor a recommendation for the cartridge nor Shilen.....it's merely a report of one man's initial firing of the cartridge.
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